Tomorrow’s World predicted 2025 30 years ago – how did this happen?

In 1995, the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World program decided to predict what the world would look like 30 years later, in 2025.

The show, which no longer airs, included one of the most famous scientists of the time, Professor Stephen Hawking, who predicted: “By 2025 we can expect major changes.”

The program team agreed, suggesting world-shaking innovations ranging from hologram surgery to space junk prison.

So, with the help of some experts – and the benefit of three decades of hindsight – let’s see how much of today’s world was successfully predicted by Tomorrow’s World.

In 1995, the World Wide Web was really taking off – a development in Tomorrow’s World that would spell trouble in the future.

He predicted that “business barons” and banks would take control of the Internet by 2000, establishing a “supernet” to which they restricted access.

This, in turn, will lead to hacks, viruses, and even riots.

decision -The Internet is still mostly open, and there have been no riots, but there is no doubt that the actions of hackers have caused suffering for many people.

One thing the program did not predict was the role of Nation state hackers like North KoreaExpertly told in BBC Lazarus Heist Podcast,

Cyber ​​security is extremely important for governments and companies and those who are skeptical of banks have supported Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

The program predicted that space mining would become a lucrative industry, with companies excavating near-Earth asteroids for precious metals.

The show also suggested that space junk would become such a problem that it would not be safe for astronauts. Answer – A giant foam gel to slow down debris.

Decision – Well, there is no super foam gel and the space junk problem is serious. There isn’t even a space mining industry – but that may be changing.

Futurist Tom Cheesewright is optimistic about mining beyond our planet.

“The potential wealth is immense and the technology is completely within our grasp,” he said.

Tomorrow’s World predicted that a law would be passed to publish a league table of surgeon success rates for all UK hospitals by 2004. Top surgeons will become so popular and paid so well that there will be no point for them to visit patients.

Instead, holograms of the patient will be sent to them and the surgeon will perform the operation using “spatial gloves.” At the patient’s end, a robot will perfectly mimic the surgeon’s movements.

decision , But they didn’t get it quite right Robots are helping in surgery.

The program features a man from the future (wearing a fancy VR headset), his wife, and a young girl in what appears to be modern London.

In one segment, a woman’s floating head comes out of a “smart speaker” and tells the man that it has been a year since her vacation at “Indo Disney”. She encourages him to take another leave via the “Shuttle to Bengaluru” – which will only take 40 minutes.

decision – Ultra-fast travel seems far away as always, but hologramSmart speakers and VR headsets are becoming increasingly popular.

Elsewhere in the program, we were given a vision of the future of banking.

It showed a woman going to a bank, complaining that there were no people there, and then withdrawing 100 “euro marks”. The bank gives him money after scanning a chip in his hand.

Decision – Banking has indeed become more and more automated. And although payment is made through microchips inside the human body There is a reality, Other technologies – primarily fingerprint and facial scanning – are much more widely used.

Gardeners’ World star Monty Don was one of the presenters of the Tomorrow’s World program 30 years ago. Their section predicted a massive restoration of British woodlands thanks to genetic engineering and multi-storey agricultural facilities, leading to the return of animals including the brown bear.

Reflecting on it now, he told BBC News that part of his program was “utopian” and “naïve”.

Looking ahead to the next 30 years, he is pleased that the current generation of young people are “more sensitive to climate change” and thinks that by 2055 people will grow more of their own food.

He added: “The world of tomorrow was by definition designed in a way that would allow mankind to change and improve the world, whereas what we have really learned since then is that mankind has the power to make things worse. The habit is there, especially environmentally, and we have to work with it rather than trying to modify and control nature.”

Vivienne Parry was another presenter of the prediction show, and presented a segment about medicine.

He remembers its filming very well and the limited visual effects of that day. “I had to hold absolutely still. I had a set of goggles with a little camera attached to them. They were stuck to my face through a big blob of black sticky substance.

“It was a very hot day, and this black stuff started dripping down my face and I couldn’t move. Someone in makeup came with a long cane with cotton on the end to remove it.”

Vivienne has been with Genomics England since 2013, and highlights how some of the 1995 Tomorrow’s World predictions about genomic sequencing have come true, as she works on one. Research studies to help diagnose and treat genetic conditions,

Futurist Tracy Fallows thought the 1995 program got many of the big ideas right, but missed two of the biggest themes of the past 30 years – big tech and the spread of social media.

He believes that by 2055 many people will be “cognitively connected” – a hive mind of humans and technology through servers that will help share ideas.

“A brainstorming session will literally be a brainstorming session, where you can brainstorm and share ideas.”

Tom Cheesewright believes that the two most exciting prospects for the next 30 years will be materials science and bioengineering.

In materials, creating devices that are stronger, lighter and thinner could change the world, while bioengineering – with tighter regulation – could transform medicine and “solve some of the biggest challenges facing humanity – decarbonisation, clean water”. Has the power to deal with. Eat”.

So what do you think the world will look like in 30 years?

Whatever your answer, you would be wise to listen to what Professor Hawking told Tomorrow’s World three decades ago.

“Some of these changes are very exciting, and some are worrying. One thing we can be sure of is that it will be very different, and probably not what we expected.”